Wednesday's health stories


McCarthy: "Let history measure what we will achieve"
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said at an Axios/NBC News event this morning that he believes a revamped plan to repeal Obamacare would be coming soon — though there is "not a time set" — and it will "be more successful than anyone will give [the GOP] credit for."
The latest developments on repeal: McCarthy said Republicans spent a lot of time at last night's meeting talking about high-risk pools. That's a sign that they may be open to getting rid of Obamacare's pre-existing condition coverage, because they think they can take care of sick people through the risk pools. Freedom Caucus members want that, but other Republicans are wary of eliminating Obamacare's guarantee that all health plans will cover sick people.
Read on for more highlights from the event.

Adeptus Health eyes bankruptcy
The Adeptus Health saga is about to enter a new chapter — Chapter 11. Hedge fund Deerfield Management will buy Adeptus' debt and push the emergency room operator through bankruptcy, the companies said Tuesday.
Deerfield, which owns 10% of Adeptus, also agreed to make rent and lease payments to Medical Properties Trust, which owns Adeptus' emergency room properties. Adeptus defaulted on loan payments that were due March 31, but Deerfield plans on waiving the default and pouring more money into Adeptus' facilities to keep them operating.
The bottom line: Adeptus, which pondered a sale last month, is a shell of itself. And it's not clear how Deerfield's restructuring plan will change Adeptus' underlying financial problems with its emergency rooms.

Yes, there might be a Trumpcare sequel
The White House and Republicans are talking seriously about reviving Trumpcare, and they think they've found the ticket: fewer Obamacare insurance regulations and more high-risk pool plans, which offer coverage that's subsidized by a state government. Will it be enough to win over the Freedom Caucus? Chairman Mark Meadows said last night that the group wants to see the legislative text. Will it actually gain votes that Republicans didn't already have? Not clear yet.
Here's the latest, and a reality check on what it all means:

Health care transparency company Amino raises $25 million
Amino has raised $25 million in venture funding, led by Highland Capital Management, as the health care startup expands its transparency technology to employers, doctors and hospitals. Amino has now raised $45 million from investors since it started in 2013.
What Amino does: Anyone can go to Amino's website for free and look up a procedure or treatment in their area. Amino spits out names of doctors and hospitals based on a person's health insurance carrier, and people can see how much it could cost to see a provider and book an appointment. "The need for transparency is something that everyone seems to be clamoring for," Amino CEO and co-founder David Vivero told Axios.


